Two candidates are running for Tomball City Council Position 5 in the May 2 election, including incumbent Randall F. Parr.

What you need to know: Early voting begins April 20 and runs through April 28, according to the Texas Secretary of State's website. Election day is May 2, and voters can cast their ballots at Tomball City Hall.

Also of note: Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, visit communityimpact.com/election.

Family First ER plans to expand its business in August by opening a third location in Tomball, officials confirmed.

What residents should know: Director of Operations Natalia Matusz said Family First is a “family-owned, locally operated provider of free-standing emergency rooms, currently serving the communities of Baytown and Atascocita.”

Quote of note: “We strive to be more than just a healthcare provider—we aim to be a trusted local partner,” Matusz said. “From supporting schools and community organizations to creating meaningful experiences for our patients and their families through giveaways and special moments, giving back is at the heart of what we do.”

More details: According to its website, the Tomball community can expect services including emergency care, imaging and lab testing.

Rebecca Forbes, president of Operation Pets Alive, said she joined the team because she wanted to make a difference in stray animals' lives.

Operation Pets Alive is a no-kill, nonprofit organization in Montgomery County that works with volunteers to increase awareness around the need for a no-kill community of lifesaving efforts for homeless dogs and cats.

OPA was founded in 2010 and has since placed over 20,000 animals into forever homes.

The numbers: In 2025, OPA helped find homes for 444 dogs and 193 cats. In order to help speed up the adoption process, it transports pets to out-of-state rescue partners who have higher adoption rates, such as Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York.

OPA is 100% volunteer-based, and Forbes said her hope is that more people will work together to rescue animals.

Get involved: OPA's largest fundraiser, Rescues on the Runway, is coming up on April 2 at The Peach Orchard Venue. At the event, dogs will walk the red carpet with The Woodlands-area models and boutiques.

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center and the nonprofit Angel Reach have agreed to a partnership to create a pathway system to help young adults in the foster system or facing homelessness join the medical industry, according to a March 20 news release.

The gist: The partnership hired five Angel Reach residents into paid patient care technician roles at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands. Through this program, the Angel Reach residents were able to work in clinical support roles with no previous health care experience, according to the news release. The training as part of the program includes, but is not limited to:

• Hands-on experience supporting patient care
• Assisting with daily living activities
• Obtaining vital signs
• Cross-training in patient transport and observation roles

Eligible Texans have until April 2 to register to vote if they would like to cast a ballot in the May 2 elections. Races that will be up for election include city council member seats and school district board of trustee spots across the Greater Houston area.

What you need to know: Texas requires voters to be registered 30 days before election day. Missing the deadline could prevent eligible residents from casting a ballot, unless they qualify for a limited ballot during early voting.

Key dates include:

• April 2: voter registration deadline
• April 20-28: early voting
• May 2: election day (7 a.m.-7 p.m.)

In the nine months until Texas’ 90th legislative session begins in January, state lawmakers are expected to hold information-gathering hearings on hundreds of topics that will lay the groundwork for next year’s policymaking.

During a March 27 legislative summit in New Braunfels, four longtime lawmakers shared some of their top priorities for next year.

What they're saying: The legislators said they were focused on furthering some projects from previous legislative cycles, including water preservation initiatives and a new education savings account program.

More details: They said they also intend to study data center operations and how the large facilities impact local water supplies, noting that the legislature will work with local officials to determine how much data center regulation should happen locally and when the state should step in. 

“Does the state need to be involved? Yes,” Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, said. “Does local government need to have a say? Yes. But we’ve also got to remember, so does the private taxpayer. So we need to get a combination of all three.”